DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES (6 OF 6)

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• 1 Kings 18:37-39 (NIV)

• 1 Kings 17:3

• 1 Kings 18:1

• 1 Kings 18:19-20

• 1 Kings 18:21

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We say they are fired up to describe a sports team with a passion and readiness to play the game. We say you can still see the fire in their eyes to describe a person after many years who still has a passion for excellence in their job. We say the fire has gone out to describe a marriage where there is no longer any passion. That's because fire and passion go together. We're concluding the series we've been in the last several weeks that I've been calling Pirates, How to Reclaim Your Stolen Treasure. Today we are going to talk about one of the greatest treasures of all, passion, and how to rekindle the fire of passion in our lives. Passion is often the difference between success and failure. People don't succeed at something they are not passionate about. The people who change the world the most were not the smartest, the most talented, the wealthiest, the most educated, people who have changed the world the most for good or bad are passionate people. Passion is often the difference between fulfillment and frustration because when you lose your passion for life you start going through the motions and the fire goes out of your eyes and it's replaced with frustration. Passion is often the difference between energy and fatigue. Passion feels creativity and excitement and enthusiasm. Douse the flame of passion and all the fuel for life is gone. Without passion there's no enthusiasm or energy and you feel worn out all the time. Maybe the reason you are feeling fatigued today is because you have lost your passion for life. So how do you rekindle the fire of passion? We are going to look at a story in the Old Testament today where we see God sending fire from heaven because of the passion of one man. Because of that fire from heaven in the life of this one man and his passion it's contagious and thousands of people become passionate about God. It's in 1 Kings, Chapter 18. Let me give you the background to the story. The people of Israel had lost all their passion for God so God tells Elijah, the prophet, to go to the wicked King Ahab and to tell him to gather all the people at Mount Carmel, there is going to be a showdown. King Ahab and Queen Jezebel worshiped the idol of Baal. Baal was the most vile type of idol worship in that day. It involved temple prostitutes and self mutilation. It was just a terrible form of worship. So here's the scene. Thousands of people have gathered on Mount Carmel. They are the spectators. Out on the field 450 prophets of Baal, 400 prophets of Asherah versus one man, Elijah. Never underestimate the power of a passionate person.

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